New HeLIA; Validity and Reliability of the HeLIA Test in Thalassemia Major Patients in Iran

Aims: Today, numerous and diverse tools have been designed and validated for measuring health Literacy. The aim of this study was the validation and adaption of the Helia instrument for measuring health Literacy in Thalassemia Major Patients in Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, and data collection was done from October to December ۲۰۲۲. The research population includes patients with thalassemia major hospitalized in Shahid Baghaei ۲ Hospital in Ahvaz. The number of community was ۳۰۰ people, and the sample size was ۱۷۰. The pre-validation population included ۵۰ patients and ten experts for validation. Reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha (for internal consistency). Kuder-Richardson's (KR) test checked the consistency between the questions. Using Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) was the measure of sampling adequacy. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used in this study. Also, used SPSS ۲۴ and Amos ۲۴. Findings: The Helia tool is valid based on face validity, content validity, and construct validity. Cronbach’s alpha was ۰.۸۹۱ and showed test validity. Explanatory factor analysis showed a model with four factors named “understanding”, “reading, access and evaluation”, “care measures”, and “decision and using”, which can explain ۵۳.۱۴۹ percent of health literacy variances. Also, IFI= ۰.۸۲۳, CFI= ۰.۸۱۶, NFI= ۰.۷۱۳, and RMSEA =۰.۰۸ show the model`s fitness. KR۲۱=۰.۸۹, which indicated the reliability of the test. Pearson correlation coefficient showed significant correlations between all factors. Conclusion: The findings of this study confirm the validity and reliability of the Helia instrument in Thalassemia Major Patients in Iran.

Keywords:

Health education , Health literacy , Holistic health , Major Thalassemia